Releasing-hook for life-boats.



I. CORSER.

RELEASING HOOK FOR LIFE sons.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, I9I8. 1,301,392, Patented Apr. 22,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l. CORSER. RELEASING HOOK FOR LIFE BOATS. I APPLICATION FILED JULY ID1918- 4- SHEETSSHEET 2- Patented Apr. 22,1919.

l. CORSEB.

.RELEASING HOOK FOR LIFE BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17.1918- 1,301,392, Patented Apr. 22,1919.

. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- la 2 Q 3mm z (fir/c 2 0 Caracr l. CORSER. RELEASING HOOK FOR LIFE BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17.19I8.

Patented Apr. 22,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' scription.

IRVING GORSER, 0F PORTLAND,OREGON.

RELEASING-HOOK FOR LIFE-BOATS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

Application filed July 17, 1918. Seria1No. 245,367.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRVING CoRsnR, a 01131- zen of the United. States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ReleasingI-Iooks for Life-Boats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to releasing hooks for life boats and has for its object the provision of means whereby capsizing of the boat as it is launched or in the act of being freed from a ship will be prevented. A fur ther object of the invention is to provlde mechanism for the stated purpose which W111 prevent premature release of the boat and which, when released, will be held n such position until again fully engaged wlth suspending or raising and lowerlng devices. Incidental objects of the invention W111 appear in the course of the following'description and the invention resides in certain novel features which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the claims followlng the do- In the drawings 7 Figure 1 is aview showing my improved releasing hooks in elevation and in position upon a boat; V

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of thereleasing hook at the bow of the boat;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the hook at the stern of the boat;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of,

Fig 1; Y .7

ig. 6 is a detail showing a modification; Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation showing a further modification.

In carrying out my invention, I secure to the post 1 in the bow of the boatandto the stern post 2, straps or supporting bars 8 which are of counterpart construction, being provided with openings 4: through which i suitable securing bolts 4 are inserted to secure them to the respective posts and each strap or bar being. provided on its inner face near its lower end with a lug 5 and near its upper endwith an extended lug 6. as shown.

- To the opposite sides of the upper lugs 6, I

secure flanges or sideplates' 7 which extend i inwardly and upwardly from the respective lugs and are connected at their upper extremities by a transverse stop pin 8. The upper edges of the flanges or side plates 7 are shaped to provide a concave seat 9 below and leading from the stop 8 and in advance of said seat to provide an upstanding tongue or lug l0. A U-shaped strap or bar 11 is secured to the opposite sides of the lower lug 5 of each supporting bar and constitutes a guide loop projecting inwardly from the said lug to receive the operating lever or dog and thereby prevent lateral movement or twisting of the said lever or dog and also limit the movement of the same away from the supporting bar. It is to be noted that, at both ends of the boat, the upstanding lugs or tongues 10 of the side plates are in advance of the stop extremity 8 of the same side plates and the hooks about to be described are pivoted upon the said lugs and have their rear ends projected toward the said stops so that the hooks at both ends of the boat will open or close in the same direction. At the stern of the boat, obviously,

at the bow of the boat and the side plates at the stern are, therefore, provided with an addit-ipnal support in the form of braces or straps 12 which have their lower ends secured to the lug 5 and their upper ends secured to the outer lower corners of the side plates. 1

The hooks 13 are substantially angle levers pivoted at their bends by pins 14 to and between the upper extremities of the lugs 10v of the side plates and the upper members .or bills of the hooks extend approximately horizontally in the closed position and bridge the space between the .two horns or, branches of the side plates, as shownclearly in Figs. 2 and 2*, so that the suspending rings 15, when engaged by the hooks, will be held within a grapple free of openings. The lower members or shanks 16 of the hooks extend downwardly approximately vertically in the closed, position and the rear or lower edge of the bill of each hook .is curved, as shown at 17, sov as to meet and merge into the'curve 9 of the side plates and thereby provide an. opening of approximately circular outlinein which the ring or hook 15 of the suspending or raising and lowering chainswill be received. In thepreferred form, the edge 17 of the'hook inclines upwardly from the extremity of the bill so that the ring 15 will tend to ride up toward the angle or bend of the hook, thereby guarding against accidental disengagement of the ring from the hook. On the rear edge of each shank is a rearwardly extending toe 18 and from the base of the toe the shank depends so as to provide an angular notch 19 to engage the upper forward corner of an operating lever or dog 20. .The lower extremity of the shank 16 is given an ogee form, as shown at 21, whereby there is provided an inclined surface to ride upon the upper corner of the dog or lever and to depress the dog. It will be noted that in the particular outline shown in Figs. 2 and 2, there is a slightly concave surface to permit the hook to clear the corner of the dog and a convex surface to ride on and depress the dog after the corner of the hook has cleared the corner of the dog. The operating lever or dog is fulcrumed at its upper rear corner upon a pin 22 inserted transversely through the side plates or flanges 7 and is so disposed that its front corner will engage the notch 19 of the hook when the parts are in the closed position. The dog tapers toward its lower end and passes throughthe loop 11 to extend below the same and terminate below the thwarts. The lower portions of the dogs are provided with a plurality of openings 23 so that a connecting rod 24 may be fitted in the proper opening and be disposed just below the thwarts, the

portion of the lever or dog below the connecting bar being then cut away. In this manner the levers or dogs may be all made of maximum length and then fitted to the smallest life boats. The front edge of each dog at the upper extremity thereof is very slightly curved, as shown at 25, so that when the dog is swung rearwardly its upper corner will readily clear the notch 19 while holding the hook in closed position until the corner of the dog has cleared the notch. Immediately upon the corner of the dog clearing the notch or the extreme lower rear corner of the hook, the weight of the loaded boat will cause the boat to move downwardly relative to the hooks or rings 15 andsaid rings by reason of their engagement with the hooks 13 will cause said hooks to swing about their pivots l4, whereupon the boat will be released. As the hooks 13 swing about their pivots, the shanks 16 will move rearwardly and the extreme lower edges of the shanks will ride over the corners of the dogs and prevent the same swinging toward the closed position and exerta downward pressure upon the same which will force them to swing rearwardly in the event they have not been moved to the extreme rearward position. As the dogs areiconnectedby' the rod24, it will be readily noted that the hooks rnust release simultaneously and the hook at one end of the boat cannot bere at 37, while dogs are ln-released position, the hooks may swing freely and, therefore, if an attempt be made to lower the boat before the dogs are returned to closed position the hooks will immediately swing into open 'position and release themselves from the davit chains so that the boat cannot be lowered unless the hooks are locked.

In connecting the'levers or dogs 20, When applying the device to a boat, the dogs are swung forwardly to'their extreme or locked position. The rod 24 is then pivotally connected at its rear end to the lower end of the rear dog by means of a fork 26 and a pivot pin 27 inserted through the said fork and one of the openings 23. Th Opposite end of the rod 2% is tubular to receive the threaded stem 28 of a fork 29 which is pivoted by a pin'30 to the forward lever or dog. An adjusting nut 31 and a lock nut32 are mounted upon the stem 28 to engage the front end of the rod 24 and adjustab-ly con: nect the same with the stem 28 so that the dogs will be fixed in relation to each other and obliged to move simultaneously and in the same direction when the connecting rod is operated. A guide 52 is preferably pro? vided for the rod 24: on the under side'of a thwart 33 and brackets 34 are also provided adjacent the said rod. A handle 35 is loosely'fitted upon the rod between pins or other form of stops 36 so that while the handle-may be swung about the rod itcannot move longitudinal'lyof the same. When the mechanism is in the locked or closed position, the handle 35 will bear against the front side of the forward bracket 34 and will,- consequently, prevent rearward movement of the parts, said bracket being ted to open. The handle upon being released-will engage against the rear side of therear bracket 34 and will, consequently, prevent forward movement ofthe-dogs 'until manually released after the-hooks have been againengaged in suspending devices.

In Fig.6, 1 have shown a slightly different form of theinvention "in which the lower extremity of the hook'is straight, as shown anogee surface .38 "is formed 011 the upper edge of the dog. This formation or reversal of the form shown in the previously described arrangement will operate in the same manner andit may somelever at the stern of the boat. The corresponding link at the bow of the boat is pivoted to the rear end of the lever, as shown, and the lower ends of both links are pivoted to the inner corners of bell-crank levers 43 which are pivoted at their upper rear corners to the lower lugs 44: on the supporting bars or straps, an operating rod 45 connecting the lower ends of said angle levers, as

shown, in the same manner as the connecting rod 24 operates as previously described.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, that I have pro vided a very simple and eflicient mechanism whereby a life boat may be quickly released when upon an even keel and by which the release of one end of the boat prior to the release of theother end thereof is prevented. As the releasing hooks at both ends of the boat move in theusame direction they can be operated simultaneously by,a single actuating member and the construction of the engaging parts is such that should one hook tend to open slightly ahead of the other hook, the hook so tending to open will bear upon and depress the coactting dog, the movement of said dog being imparted to the operating rod and thereby causing the dog at the opposite end of the boat to move to released position. My improved mechanism may be readily applied to any life boat and will not take up valuable space therein, although it will he so disposed that it may be easily reached by the oflicer in charge and manipulated. When the parts are in closed position, they are positively locked against release by the engagement of the dogs with the hooks and will remain so looked until the dogs are oscillated. When the do s are moved about their pivots, the hooks Wlll remain closed until the corners of the dogs clear the corners of the hooks whereupon the lower extremities of the hooks will ride upon the dogs and exert a cam action thereon to depress the same. The movement of either dog will be transmitted, as described, to the other dog so that the two ends of the boat will be released simultaneously notwithstanding some inaccuracy in the adjustment of the operating rod. The particular outline of the hook may be varied as may be desired provided there is such relation between the hook and the dog that immediately upon the upper end of the dog being swung from behind the hook, the lower ent of' the hook will ride upon and depress the dog. When the hook is in fully open position, the toe 18 forms a guide and abutment against which the suspending ring may be engaged and pressed to effect return of the hook to closed position in engagement with the ring, and the end of the hook, by engaging the stop 8, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, supports the hook in the open po- 7 sitlon.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. The combination of fore and aft supports, hooks mount-ed in said supports and having shanks provided with notches in their lower portions and cams adjacent said notches, dogs mounted on the supports below and in rear of the hooks and having their upper front corners arranged to engage said notches, the cam portions of the hooks being adapted to ride on the upper front corners of the dogs after the same have cleared said notches, and means for moving the dogs to cause their upper front corners to clear the notches.

2. The combination of fore and aft supports, each comprising spaced side plates having upstanding portions and lugs in advance of and spaced from said portions, hooks pivoted to said lugs and having their bills arranged to cooperate with the upstanding portions of the side plates and having notches in their lower ends, dogs pivoted upon the side plates in rear of the hooks and having their upper forward corners arranged to engage said notches, and an operating member connecting the lpwer ends of the dogs.

3. The combination of supporting plates, hooks pivoted on said plates and having their bills arranged to cooperate therewith, dogs pivoted on the plates and having their upper front corners arranged to engage the shanks of the hooks, the shanks of the hooks having eccentric extremities arranged to ride on the upper ends of the dogs and de press the same as the dogs are moved to open position, and means for simultaneously operating said dogs.

4:. The combination of fore and aft supports, hooks pivotally mounted in said supports and bearing against the same in closed position, dogs pivoted upon the supports in rear of the hooks and having their upper front corners arranged to engage the hooks, guides projecting from the supports and passing around the dogs, and an operating rod connecting the lower ends of the dogs.

The combination of supports, books pivotally mounted upon the supports, dogs 13o pivoted upon the supports below and in rear of the hooks and arranged to engage the hooks and hold them in closed position, a connecting rod having one end attached to the lower end of one dog, an adjustable connection between the opposite end of said rod and the lower end of the other dog, stops adj acent said rod, and a handle mounted upon the rod for rotation about the same but restrained from longitudinal movement thereon and adapted to'engage against one of said stops.

6. In a mechanism for the purpose set forth, the combination of a side plate having an upstanding stop member and an upstand ing lug in advance of and spaced from said stop member, the intervening edge of the plate being indented, a hook pivoted upon the said lug and having its bill disposed to bridge the space between the said lug and said Stop member, the under edge of said bill being shaped to merge into the indented portion of the edge of the plate and the shank of the hook being constructed with a notch at its lower rear corner, a dog pivoted upon the plate below and in rear of the hook and having its upper forward corner arranged to normally engage said notch, and means for swinging the dog to cause its upper forward corner to clear the notch.

7. The combination of a supporting plate having a stop member at its upper end and a lug in advance of and spaced from said stop member, the intervening edge of the plate being indented, a hook pivoted upon said lug and having a rearwardly extending bill adapted to bear against the stop member, the under edge of the bill merging into the indented portion of the edge of the plate and the shank of the hook having an angular notch at its lower rear corner and having a curved edge at its lower extremity, a dog pivoted upon the plate in rear of and below the hook and having its upper forward corner arranged to engage said notch, the forward edge of the dog at the upper extremity thereof being cut away to permit the dog to be disengaged from said notch while still holding the hook in closed position, and means for operating said dog.

8. The combination of a support, a hook pivoted thereon and cooperating therewith to retain a suspending device, and a dog pivoted upon the support and normally engaging the hook to hold the same in closed position, the hook being provided with an eccentric portion arranged to ride on and depress the dog when the latter is moved toward released position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

IRVING CORSER. 1,. 8.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

